Jesus Coming Soon

In Honolulu, there is a church with a large "Jesus Coming Soon" sign. As we near our departure from Christchurch Anna's reaction to the impending departure has shed some light on waiting for Jesus to return.

Anna understands the concepts of past and future, but in no further detail than that. Tomorrow, two days from now, a week from now, a month from now, even a year from now are all “tomorrow” in her vocabulary. So, over the last several months she keeps asking, “Are we leaving tomorrow?” Now that we are within a week of leaving and we can show her the days on the calendar, she is beginning to grasp the idea of future more clearly. We have told her, “It will be ten more sleeps before we leave”. Still, some days she gets up and asks, “Are we leaving today?”

If only I could look forward to Jesus’ return like this – knowing that it is “tomorrow” but not knowing how far ahead and waking up each morning asking, “Are we leaving today?”

Chilean Miners

We followed the rescue of the Chilean miners via the internet. I was surprised that even when the fourth miner came out of the ground, I still teared up even though three had been rescued before him. This made me think of how awesome it must have been when Lazurus was called out of the house by Jesus after he had been dead.

I am overwhelmed as I think of Jesus taking me from the miry pit and putting me on firm ground. He rescued me.

Ella Enchanted

Last night we watched Ella Enchanted. Ella is "cursed" with obedience. She must obey every command told her by anyone. You can imagine how this gets her into trouble when others figure this out.

In the end, she falls in love with a prince who would rather not command her; of course she desires to do what he wishes as he has her best interests in mind. She breaks the curse and they get married.

This made me think about my obedience to God, how it is not automatic. I don't want to get into a free will argument; rather I just want to reflect on loving obedience to my King.

Dead Man Walking or Live Man Running?

I was listening to a sermon by Alistair Begg and he made a comment that has been swimming around my head for the last week. He said that morticians make dead people look alive while Jesus called Lazarus back to life. I find that much of my spiritual life is plying the mortician's craft to myself - using makeup to dress up my dead flesh. Ironically, Jesus has given me new life and I neglect letting this life shine.

Telegraph Road

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8

Telegraph Road, just north of Norwood, is a very straight road. As you travel north from Norwood, at a point just north of where it intersects Clinton and Grange, the road suddenly shifts about three meters to the east. You see, at this point, the road crosses the fault from the September 4, 2010 Darfield Earthquake. While the evidence of the fault is slowly fading away, there is no mistaking that the ground must have been rent.

Similarly, as you travel down the straight time line of history, you will come across a point where things are not merely shifted but completely transformed. This event, now thousands of years remote, is not evident to the blind. But whenever you celebrate the Lord’s supper, it is like we are standing over that spot on Telegraph road. There is no mistaking that something incredible has happened at exactly this time, just the right time. Only, it’s not a road that has been rent. A veil has been torn in half; a new covenant has been established; a Savior has been crushed on our behalf. And this is not evidence of a disaster; it is evidence of our God’s own love for us. Beloved, let us never forget this perfect point in time and what has happened at Calvary. By remembering this in this way we are proclaiming His death until He comes again. Maranatha.

I just wanna go home...

I don't know why, but suddenly, today, I just started to feel like I wanted to go home. I understand the international student experience a bit more now. There are a number of factors involved with this, but at the bottom of it all is the fact that I don't really belong here.

No wonder we groan (or should groan) for heaven at times:

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
2 Cor 5:3-5

Eat Anna, Eat

Every morning we do battle with Anna to get her to eat her breakfast. The food tastes good. The food is good for her; in fact it is necessary for life. Sadly, this parallels my Bible reading... my Father has to get after me to eat my daily bread even though it tastes good and His words are the words of life.

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103

They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.
Deut 32:47a

Straying Hearts = No Rest

For forty years I was angry with that generation;
I said, "They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known my ways."

So I declared on oath in my anger,
"They shall never enter my rest."

Psalm 95:10-11

Mmmmmmmm... tasty!

We have enjoyed a lot of good food here in New Zealand. The Asian food is quite good; we've had authentic Chinese dim sum, Japanese sushi, Korean bi bim bop, galbi, and jya jya min, and good Cambodian food. The local food has been fun too: wheatbix, crumpets, home made yoghurt, granola, bubble and squeak, white bait, pavlova, tim tams (and tim tam slams), to name a few. However, these all appeal to the tongue and stomach. I read today what delights the heart:

Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15:16

I like how he found and ate these words... just like how we are discovering foods here in Christchurch. As I am reading through the Bible this year, I am finding and discovering words that indeed are to me a joy and the delight of my heart - just like this very passage!

Babylon will get hers...

I love this taunt towards Babylon in Isaiah 14:

All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,
along with the noise of your harps;
maggots are spread out beneath you
and worms cover you.

It reminds me of a Saturday night skit where Jane Curtain on "Weekend Update" reported on the Miss USA pageant results and concluded with "and in 80 years she will be maggot food".

But as I meditate on this more, I am disturbed in a couple ways. I often see parallels between Babylon and Hollywood and I find myself drawn towards the output of our own little Babylon. I also am becoming aware of my deteriorating body and my obsession with staying fit. In 80 years, my body will be maggot food if the Lord tarries.

Oh Lord, help me.

The Goal

No, this isn't a post about the World Cup (but good on ya New Zealand for three draws in group play). I have been thinking lately about what I want to be restored to. I had always assumed that I wanted to be as good as before or as good as new, but now I'm thinking that's shooting too low. Like the 6 Million Dollar man (the bionic man, for those of you who remember), God can make me and will make me better than before. I have been reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and realize that I do not want to be restored to the life I had before I left the USA. I am praying to be made more into the image of God. Yet, I know this will never happen this side of eternity:

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
I Cor 13:12

and

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

I now realize this restoration project that is me will be finished when I come into the presence of my Jesus. Until then, I join the earth in groaning for the completion of this restoration project:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Romans 8:22-25

Of Tides and Kings

Tides here in New Zealand are severe. The day I was tramping (hiking) in Abel Tasman National Park, the difference between low and high tide was 4.8 meters (almost 16 feet). You could see boats stranded at low tide in all the bays. We were able to cross a tidal flat at low tide and shorten a 1.5 hour walk to 10 minutes or so. Right now I’m reading I Kings and the up and down nature of Israel reminds me of the tides. Things go well, they forget God, and then things go bad. In their despair they cry out to God, and He delivers them and things go well… then it starts all over again.

I’ve been thinking about this because things are starting to go well for me now on my sabbatical. My shoulder is healing nicely, I think I’m coming out of my burnout, I’m rekindling my fire for work and research, and I notice I’m beginning to forget God… well not forget Him, but not have the same intimacy as during the low tides.

I’m thinking now that instead of floating up and down with the tides, I need to moor myself to the Rock of Ages.

Mobile pricing plans

We bought a mobile phone, mostly to call AA (the NZ equivalent of AAA in the USA) in case our car breaks down. We have a 1992 Camry, but it seems to be running very well. Any way, we bought a prepay plan, or pay as you go plan. I thought that this seems to be how I think of God's grace some times... I some how pay for it and have a finite amount that I'm afraid to use up. Or sometimes I think I'm on a contract monthly plan where I regularly make a payment (go to church, do ministry, etc.) and then the grace stays "topped up"... but I have only so much grace per month.

Well, that's all silly. Christ paid for our sins once, for all time (Hebrews). No more grace bills to be paid. now if I would only call Him up more frequently to talk...

Man in the Mirror, Part 3

It' very possible I've only lost two pounds, but I also suspect that the scale in our bathroom in Laramie, WY is not the same as the scale at SportsMed in Christchurch, NZ. This is the problem with scales - they are relative. They need to be calibrated to an absolute standard.

Similarly, any man-made measure of spiritual growth we use must ultimately be calibrated to the absolute standard of God's word. In this case, why don't we just measure ourselves against the standard directly? And why all these measurements? Are we in a competition? Is there a target goal where we can say we are finished? I think not. As long as I am growing, I'm happy (or should be). I have the rest of my life and all eternity to grow. Now doing God's will and finishing His work, there is some urgency there...

Man in Mirror, Part 2

Earlier, I had posted that my only scale here is a mirror and that the lesson I learned is that I should measure my spiritual growth in the mirror of God's word and God's people rather than scales and metrics. Well, I finally found a scale (at the Physio Therapist office) and to my dismay I had only lost one or two pounds. All other evidence in the mirror suggests I have lost more than that. Yes I know that muscle mass is more dense than fat, but I am losing upper body muscle mass as I can not lift heavy right now (actually, I don't think I will lift weights while in NZ).

This made me think - how do we measure spiritual growth? What is real? God's Word that says I'm a new creation, or how I measure up to some standard of behavior?

And why all the measuring? We will never "arrive". The Apostle Paul himself says, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me".

I press on to take hold...

A little at a time...

By nature I am an impatient man. I want my research program to grow quickly; I want to be restored quickly on this sabbatical; I want my computer to load quickly... you get the point. God, in His infinite wisdom knows that I need to grow a little at a time. He tells Israel that when they occupy the promised land he will drive out their enemies a little at a time while they "ramp up":

Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
- Exodus 23:30

I am realizing that this restoration process will take time. Little by little God will drive out my pathological behaviors until I have increased enough in Jesus to take possession of the land.

Every seven years...

One of the biggest perks of a life in academia is a sabbatical. As the name implies, we can do this every seven years. I missed my first one and I am actually on year 15 in academia during my first sabbatical. Anyway, the timing of one off every seven is prevalent in scripture, but I had not observed this about slaves before in Exodus 21:

² "If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. ³ If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him.

My faculty job is very cushy and nowhere near slavery, but I really identify with these verses. I've served my six years and am now going free (sort of) and Susan is with me!

Wise counsel

Moses was on the road to burnout. Here's what his father-in-law had to say about his situation in Exodus 18:

Moses' father-in-law replied, "What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
- Exodus 18:17-18

The solution was to delegate. What really speaks to me is the phrase: "you cannot handle it alone". Now the challenge is to make some changes, especially in how I do my work.

Man in the Mirror

I think I'm losing weight due to walking and the healthier diet here - but I don't know because there is no scale in the house. My only scale is the mirror.

This made me think that when we examine our lives for fruit of the Spirit or spiritual growth, we shouldn't rely on scales or metrics, but should take a hard long look at ourselves in a spiritual mirror. What can we use to reflect our souls? I would suggest other trusted mature believers and the best mirror: God's word, the Bible.

No Worries, Mate

A lesson I've learned from the Kiwis in these first two days is to not sweat things so much. I very much like their phrase, "No worries, mate" or "No worries, love". I was buying a plug adapter and it was $12. I pulled out a ten and was fishing in my pocket for a $2 coin but was having trouble with my arm. The cashier said, "No worries, mate - I'll sell it to you for $10".

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34

Restore Us O God

³ Restore us, O God;
make your face shine upon us,
that we may be saved.

Psalm 80:3

first dose of barbicide...

This Sunday I listened to a message on the first Beatitude, "Blessed are the poor in spirit". Essentially, a prerequisite to being a follower of Jesus is to know that we have no spiritual resources sufficient for entering the Kingdom of Heaven or doing Kingdom work. Instead, our sufficiency is in Christ. This was a very good dousing in barbicide for my soul, killing off the fungul growth of self-sufficiency. It will probably grow back...

Here's the sermon:

http://bit.ly/6IPluh

double-edged razors

My friend Steven introduced me to a website, The Art of Manliness (http://artofmanliness.com/). One of the articles that grabbed me was on shaving (http://bit.ly/16VSI). In the picture are two safety razors that I bought from Bart’s Flea market for $5 and $8 (and I now find that I probably overpaid!) and restored. As part of the cleaning process, I boil the razors, soak them in hydrogen peroxide, then soak them in barbicide (the blue liquid in old barbershops that they soaked combs in). I really, really want to kill anything on them (blood-borne pathogens).

On my sabbatical, I hope to take a good soaking in God that will kill the nasty stuff in my life.

Note to Laramie friends: if you want to give this a try, I will keep an eye out for razors to restore for you.

rest and/or restoration

The theme for this blog came to me because of three events:

1. I have been restoring old double edge safety razors
2. I have been restoring old fountain pens
3. I'm having my shoulder "fixed" (rotator cuff surgery)

All three have the following in common:

1. They involve something old and worn out
2. Just letting the item sit around and rest wasn't going to do anything
3. They all required some procedure done to them to restore functionality

An Academic sabbatical is not only a time to rest, but also to rejuvenate. However, as I thought about these three things, I realize I need to very intentional about restoration in addition to just resting. I don't believe rest and restoration are mutually exclusive and I will try to capture my thoughts on this during the upcoming year. I am planning separate posts on the razors, pens, and shoulder.

a year of rest and restoration

This is a blog of my sabbatical experiences. As I start my sabbatical, I realize that I not only need rest, but restoration. I will post my thoughts on this as I progress throughout the year. I've already started my sabbatical, but the big kick-off will be when we leave for New Zealand on Februay 9.